Tuesday, February 25, 2014

"Spoilers!", as 'River Song' would say. If you continue reading this post and you don't know the identity of the Doctor's wife and her connection to the Time Lord and his traveling Companions, then best to come back when you do. Otherwise, feel free to enjoy this fantastic costume worn by Alex Kingston as the enigmatic and mischievous character, plus more outfits and props on display at the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff Bay, Wales on December 9, 2013.

Original costumes from season five and six of the Doctor Who revival

We first meet the mysterious River Song along with David Tennant's 'Tenth Doctor' in the fourth season episodes 'Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead', but she wears this adventurous looking outfit in the fifth season two-part finale 'The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang' where she stars alongside Matt Smith's 'Eleventh Doctor'.

River Song costume worn by Alex Kingston in Doctor Who

I'm sure Whovian cosplayers and costumers love this look, and Ray Holman was Series Costume Designer at this time on the 50-year-old British sci-fi show.

In subsequent episodes of the show, we learn that aside from being the future spouse of the Doctor and an archeology Professor, River Song is actually the grown-up child of the Doctor's married Companions 'Amy Pond' and 'Rory Williams'. Born 'Melody Pond' she was conceived in the T.A.R.D.I.S. and so possessed similar genetic traits and regenerative abilities as the Gallifreyan Time Lords.

Amy Pond costumes from Doctor Who on display

Also on display this visit were a trio of 'Amy Pond' costumes, including the outfit worn by a 'Young Amelia' played by Karen Gillan's real-life cousin, Caitlin Blackwood, plus one of Karen Gillan's signature looks and her kissogram U.K. police uniform worn in the fifth season opener 'The Eleventh Hour', which introduced us to the Doctor's new Companion, 'the girl who waited'.

Costumes worn by Arthur Darvill as Rory Williams in Doctor Who

Another outfit which made me smile when I saw it, was the stag night t-shirt that Arthur Darvill wore as River's other parent, 'Rory Williams', in the fifth season episode, 'The Vampires of Venice', when the Doctor crashes Rory's bachelor party and takes the couple on a romantic trip to 1580 Venice.

The Doctor's Cot prop from A Good Man Goes to War

Finally, here's a fantastic prop relevant to the 'Pond/Williams' family, the Doctor's baby crib featured in the sixth season episode 'A Good Man Goes to War' and was actually the cradle the Time Lord slept in as child and bears Gallifreyan symbols on its side, plus a cool planetary mobile above the cot.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Before he was cast as the rebooted 'Spock' in JJ Abrams re-invention of the Star Trek movie franchise, Zachary Quinto played the cold-blooded serial killer 'Sylar' in NBC's superhuman series, Heroes, which ran for four seasons from 2006 to 2010.

Original outfit worn by Zachary Quinto as Sylar in TV's Heroes

This is the flashback outfit the actor wore as Sylar's watch repairman alter ego, 'Gabriel Gray', in the first season episode 'Six Months Ago' and was photographed on display at Universal Studios Hollywood on February 7, 2013. The super-powered villain is the 'big bad' in the freshman season of Heroes who killed other super humans to steal their abilities (although his threat and cannibalistic persona was later diluted over the subsequent seasons) and he took his new name from a watch brand.

Heroes season three TV poster

Also on display at the NBC Universal Experience exhibit on my most recent visit on January 23, 2014, was this collection of screen-used props from the comic book inspired series.

Included in the exhibit were cheerleading pom poms and bag used by Hayden Panettiere as 'Claire Bennet', the cheerleader with rapid healing powers, plus the urn containing the ashes of her supposedly dead adopted father, 'Noah Bennet', from the season two 'Truth & Consequences' episode and the wind chimes of memory-wiping 'Company man', 'The Haitian'.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

On my most recent visit to Universal Studios Hollywood's archive exhibit, not only did they have the DeLorean time machine on show, but they also had another of Mary Steenburgen's Old West gowns on display from Back to the Future III.

Western festival dance gown worn by Mary Steenburgen

as Clara Clayton in Back to the Future III

In the third installment 'Marty McFly' travels back to 1885 to help save his scientist friend 'Doc Emmett Brown', who has fallen for Mary Steenburgen'sJules Verne-loving schoolteacher, 'Clara Clayton'.

Friday, February 14, 2014

Set 15 years after 1999's comedy-drama The Best Man movie, Malcolm D. Lee's sequel, The Best Man Holiday,sees old college friends reunite over the festive period and long-forgotten rivalries and romances bubble to the surface again. Taye Diggs reprises his role as 'Harper Stewart' and wears this dazzling black ensemble for a song and dance number in the movie, whilst the American Football, autobiography book and Christmas greetings card props belong to Morris Chestnut's character, 'Lance Sullivan'.

Original costume and props from The Best Man Holiday

Danielle Hollowell was Costume Designer on this and the original movie, so apologies for not being able to showcase the costume in its best light as the curved display panel and the reflective nature of this glittering suit made it impossible to get a really clear shot.

Saturday, February 8, 2014

The Fast & Furious movie franchise, known for its high speed car chases and illegal street racing, was dealt a tragic and ironic blow with the death of Paul Walker on November 30, 2013 in a fatal car accident. Production on a seventh installment in the popular action franchise has resumed, although it's still to be confirmed how big a role, if any, the actor will have in the movie due to his having filmed several scenes prior to his passing. For fans of the movie, here is a blast from the past from the first movie sequel in the form of 'Suki's' costume, plus original props from the sixth and most recent installment.

Original costume and props from the Fast & Furious movies

This fun outfit and these cool props were photographed on display within the NBC Universal Experience exhibit at Universal Studios Hollywood on January 23, 2014.

2 Fast 2 Furious movie poster

In 2 Fast 2 Furious, Paul Walker's former LAPD officer 'Brian O'Conner' is reunited with his childhood friend 'Roman Pearce' (Tyrese Gibson) by the FBI in order to take down a Miami drug lord in exchange for clear criminal records.

Original costume worn by Devon Aoki as Suki in 2 Fast 2 Furious

In the 2003 movie sequel Devon Aoki plays street car racer 'Suki', a friend of Brian's and sometimes girlfriend of 'Tej Parker' (played by Ludacris). Her crew is made up entirely of women and she drives a pink custom Honda S2000.

The movies always feature spectacular high speed car stunts and in the latter installments, epic motoring heists, and this grappling hook gun and CPU chip with protective case props were both featured in the sixth film.

If you like these props, be sure to also take a look at some of the picture cars featured in Fast & Furious 6, on display at Universal Studios Hollywood theme park when the movie opened in cinemas.